Dear Tokyo Green Eyes,
Interesting question, about which I've been wondering myself, so thank
you for the opportunity to research it.
The basic answer is that the embassies have ceased to exist (some
earlier ? when the US demanded the expulsion of the Iraqi diplomats;
some later ? after Saddam has been ousted). The funds have been in
many cases looted by the former regime's diplomats; but in few cases
the host country has managed to put its hands on the funds and freeze
them until a new diplomatic staff would be appointed. Since there was
no staff (or very little thereof), there has been also no need in
maintaining the embassies.
Iraq's embassies are now reconstructed under the new interim regime
(that is also the one giving salaries, officially): new personnel have
been appointed, and in some countries (such as the US), the diplomatic
representatives and embassy's renovation would be financed by tax
payers' moneys.
Here is *a bit* longer version of this answer:
Before Baghdad fell
===============
In March 2003, the U.S. Administration requests the closure of Iraqi
diplomatic missions across the globe, claiming that they represent a
regime that no longer exists, and that the diplomatic staff has been
in fact gathering intelligence and assisting terrorism. (See: " Under
U.S. Orders, Italy, Jordan, Australia Expel Iraqi Diplomats", Islam
Online, March 23rd, <
http://www.islamonline.net/english/News/2003-03/23/article13.shtml>).
The deportation should be made "pursuant to article 9 of the Vienna
Convention on Diplomatic Relations" ("American requests to expel Iraqi
diplomats and close Iraqi representations in Switzerland " Press
release from Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, 26 March 2003
RTF Document (requires Word or a similar word processor)
<http://www.eda.admin.ch/tokyo_emb/e/home/what/arch03.Par.0010.UpFile.rtf/2003.03.26%20US%20request%20to%20close%20Iraqi%20rep%20in%20CH.rtf>
regarding Switzerland; see regarding Australia "Expulsion of Iraqi
Embassy Staff From Australia
" <http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2003/fa028_03.html>).
Article 9 states:
"1. The receiving State may at any time and without having to
explain its decision, notify the sending State that the head of the
mission or any member of the diplomatic staff of the mission is
persona non grata or that any other member of the staff of the mission
is not acceptable. In any such case, the sending State shall, as
appropriate, either recall the person concerned or terminate his
functions with the mission. A person may be declared non grata or not
acceptable before arriving in the territory of the receiving State.
2. If the sending State refuses or fails within a reasonable period to
carry out its obligations under paragraph 1 of this Article, the
receiving State may refuse to recognize the person concerned as a
member of the mission. "
(SOURCE: Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961,
<http://www.un.org/law/ilc/texts/diplomat.htm>).
The Iraqi Ambassador to Switzerland "said that Iraq intends to respond
to this through the Human Rights Committee currently in session in
Geneva."
(Read full press release to the BBC on the BBC Website, "Ambassador
confirms a number of countries have expelled Iraqi diplomats",
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2003/03_march/21/iraq_swiss.shtml>).
Japan, by the way, was one of the (many) countries, which have
rejected the American demand:
"Japan Rejects US Demand to Close Iraqi Embassy", Xinhua News Agency
March 26, 2003, < http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/59745.htm>).
After the fall of Baghdad
==================
The fall of Baghdad served as a catalyst for the exile opposition to
take over the embassies. In Washington, "As U.S. forces began the
liberation of Iraq, the embassy was abandoned and all but one of its
employees deported." (SOURCE: Eric Pfeiffer, "The Haunted Embassy",
The Daily Standard, 11/24/2003,
<http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/003/411tdnon.asp>).
In April 2003, "Several men stormed the Iraqi embassy in London on
Wednesday afternoon, breaking through the front door and ripping out
any vestige of Saddam Hussein." (SOURCE: "Iraqi embassy stormed in
London" CBC News, 09 Apr 2003). Similar scenes happened in Tehran
("Exiles loot Iraqi embassy in Tehran", Guardian Unlimited, April 11,
2003, <http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,12858,934667,00.html>).
From both reports it is evident that the diplomats took whatever they
could before they left, destroying documents and looting their own
embassies.
Since many countries did not fully comply (and in many cases have not
been asked to comply) with the American request to deport the Iraqi
diplomats beforehand, they faced the question of dealing with the
Iraqi diplomats after the downfall of the Ba'athist regime. The
Philippine reaction was typical: the country decided to freeze the
embassy's assets (in order to secure them for the new diplomats) and
to withdraw the diplomatic privileges of the staff. However, they have
not been deported back to Iraq, given the fact that they might be in
danger. (SOURCE: "Iraqi envoys in Manila stuck in limbo", Manila
Times, April 14, 2003,
<http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2003/apr/14/top_stories/20030414top2.html>).
Another good source on the situation in April 2003 is Associated Press
article, as reported on Fox News' website:
"Iraqi Diplomats Left in Limbo " , April 10, 2003 ,
<http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,83791,00.html>, about the embassy
in Tokyo, they write: "In Tokyo, Iraqi diplomats hauled garbage bags
stuffed with shredded documents out of the embassy. Neighbors
whispered that the amount of trash was three times the usual level."
Few days later, the charge d'affaires in Tokyo maintained that his
allegiance is with the Iraqi people, and not with one regime or
another: " Qasim A. Shakir, charge d'affaires at the Iraqi Embassy in
Tokyo, distanced himself from the regime by arguing that diplomats
represent the Iraqi people, not a particular government. "The change
in government doesn't mean everything has to collapse," he said. "
(SOURCE: " Even without government to represent, Iraqi envoys work",
JS Online, April 28th, 2003 <
http://www.jsonline.com/news/gen/apr03/136976.asp>).
Interim Governing Council
===================
On July 13, 2003, Iraq's interim governing council was inaugurated.
Soon afterwards, it set on appointing new diplomatic staff. Many of
these people belonged to the Iraqi exile opposition against Saddam's
regime. Ghanim Al-Jumaily, the newly (October 2004) appointed
ambassador to Japan, for example, "worked for the U.S. National
Aeronautics and Space Administration during part of his stay of about
30 years in the United States. He has also served as the head of
U.S.-based Life for Relief and Development, a nongovernmental
organization which he founded along with several other Iraqi Americans
in 1992 to send medical supplies to Iraq." (SOURCE: " New Iraqi envoy
to Japan hopes to boost ties at grassroots level" Kyodo News, October
1st, 2004, < http://home.kyodo.co.jp/all/printer_friendly.jsp?an=20041001234>).
By August 2003, it was clear, that embassies staffed by Saddam's men
would face closure and re-staffing, due in August. In July, just
before the announced closure, the Iraqi embassy in Moscow suffered a
mysterious rubbery : it is indicated from an article in the Hindu that
the Moscow police suspects an internal job, perhaps by those destined
not to return to the diplomatic corps (SOURCE: Vladimir Radyuhin,
"Millions missing from Iraqi embassy", The Hindu, July 31st, 2003,
<http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2003/07/31/stories/2003073103411400.htm>
; See regarding Bangladesh, also with information on looting of
embassy's funds, "Iraq to shift Dhaka mission to Delhi " The Hindu,
August 10th, 2003, <http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2003081101561200.htm&date=2003/08/11/&prd=th&>).
On the 14th of August, 2003, the Washington Times reported, that the
new provisional government plans to send new diplomats to the United
States:
James Morrison, Embassy Row - "Iraq to reopen embassy ", Washington
Times, 14th of August, 2003
<http://washingtontimes.com/world/20030814-081343-8163r.htm>
In November 2003, when Pfeiffer ran his story on Ahmed Alkaissi, it
was stated that there is a plan to send diplomats ? ones that have
served before in the Iraqi embassies in Vietnam and Algeria, as well
as foreign office diplomats from Baghdad - to serve in Washington (See
another article on the subject by Pfeiffer: "Baath house: cleaning out
the Iraqi embassy - 10 Miles Square ", Washington Monthly, December
2003, <http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_12_35/ai_111897431>
and " New Iraqi ambassador to Washington named", Sydney Morning
Herald, November 24, 2003 <
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/11/23/1069522481344.html?from=storyrhs&oneclick=true>).
Interim Government appointed in June 2004
================================
The interim government began to appoint new ambassadors and to reopen
the embassies that have been shut down in March 2003 more than a year
and a half month later, in autumn 2004.
On June 30th, 2004, the Iraqi Embassy in Washington was officially
reopened (See pictures from Xinhua Net,
<http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-07/01/content_1560733.htm>).
However, last December, Michael Rubin reported (on Catholic Exchange),
that the Iraqi Embassy does not function yet, and that no ambassador
has been appointed, because of the lack of stability and authority of
Allawi and his interim government.
(SOURCE: Michael Rubin, "Vacancy: The Iraqi Embassy in Washington",
Catholic Exchange, 29 December, 2004,
<http://www.catholicexchange.com/vm/index.asp?vm_id=70&art_id=26673>).
; See another article: Maureen Fan , " Iraq Also Rebuilds Its
Embassy" Washington Post, July 25, 2004 , <
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12112-2004Jul24.html>).
In September 2004, an ambassador has been appointed to the embassy in London.
(SEE: "UK : Ambassador announces re-establishment of Iraqi embassy in
London " <http://www.portaliraq.com/shownews.php?id=510> ).
In November, " Iraqi embassy to open in Canberra", as the Herald Sun
reported (< http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,11500192%255E1702,00.html>.
In other countries, the new embassy represents the provisional regime:
Bulgaria: "Bulgaria Dispatches Diplomats to Help Free Truckers Stuck
on Iraqi-Syrian Border" BNN, 12.01.2005 ,
<http://www.bgnewsnet.com/story.php?lang=en&sid=19111>
China: " Iraqi FM in China for highest-level visit by interim
government", Turkish Press, 23 December 2004, <
http://www.turkishpress.com/world/news.asp?id=041223085536.cpm0mmaw.xml>
I hope this answered your question. Please contact me if you need any
clarification on this answer before you rate it. My search strategy
was to read - from Google and news databses - news about "Iraqi
Emabssy" and similar terms from the relevant periods. |
